Reflection on Socrates

"I trust what I say is right," is only one of the wise remarks that Socrates makes. He is a very confident man, but he expresses his confidence in an ironic way by his intricate sentences and clever remarks. His trial is interesting because he hits key points: why he is being accused, why he should be acquitted and finally why he feels it is acceptable that he is convicted. He contradicts himself frequently because at one point he flaunts his wisdom and great intellectual qualities and then he changes and mentions how humble and helpful of a citizen he is to society. He says many times that he is wise but not the wisest, which makes him appear to be modest. He always aims to speak the truth and makes those who think they know it all appear to be fools. At one point, Meletus does not know what to say because he is dumfounded by Socrates' arguments. Socrates says, "I cannot help thinking that Meletus is reckless and impudent and that he has written this indictment in a spirit of mere wantonness and youthful bravado." (p.44) Socrates criticizes one of his accusers and tells them and the jury that there is no substantial proof of his allegations.

Socrates is on trial for supposedly corrupting the youth and speaking against the gods. He is accused by Meletus, Anytus, and Lycon. He is being criticized for thinking differently and individually, and the men he is surrounded by at this trial are citizens who abide or at least pretend to abide by the law. Socrates also mentions his deep relationship with the oracle and how the oracle is a witness of the truth he speaks. He says the oracle believes he is the wisest of men and the oracle, of course, does not lie. I find it interesting that he goes as far as finding someone who is wiser than him. However, he comes down to this conclusion, "...I am better off than he is for he knows nothing, and thinks that he knows; I neither know nor think that I know." (p.38)

Socrates breaks down his own case and mentions his bad qualities